The Best Present of All
by Exotic Rooftile
Summary: Harry and Ruth are wrapping christmas presents. A playful mood, sellotape and spare tacky wrapping paper leave the pair with other things on their minds than the Christmas party that evening.


'Done.' Ruth leant back with a satisfied sigh, surveying the chaos around her. There was wrapping paper everywhere, the earlier system of new paper for friends and last year's recycled stuff for family out of the window. Close by, but separated from her by a sea of presents, sat Harry, a look of intense concentration on his face.

'Pass the sellotape Ruth.'

'_Please'_

'_Pass the sellotape Ruth. Please_.' He smiled at her, and she relented. She waited while he wrapped the last present up – a pair of earrings for Jo, and attached the tag to the paper, before she spoke again.

'Do you think it's alright doing this?' she asked. 'I mean, sending these' she gestured around her, 'from both of us.'

'Why wouldn't it be alright?'

'Well…I just thought someone might say something.'

'They won't. Not unless they want to spend the next twelve months acting as a liaison officer to six.' Seeing that Ruth wasn't happy, he added, 'And it's perfectly natural for a couple to send joint presents. It would be funnier if we didn't'

'Say that again.'

'What?'

'The bit about us being a couple'

'It's expected for a couple to send joint presents. Happy?'

'Perfectly.' Ruth closed her eyes, daydreaming about the two of them together. A couple.

'Well I'm not.'

'No?' She opened her eyes again. 'Why?'

'I've spent the last' He checked his watch. 'Two hours wrapping Christmas presents with you, and I've yet to see a single present for myself.' There was a mischievous glint in his eyes. Ruth rolled her eyes.

'Well, it may come as a surprise for you, but your presents are meant to be a secret until Christmas day.'

'But I want one _now_.' Ruth giggled. She loved it when Harry got all playful like this.

'And what are you going to do about it?'

'Find me the best present of all.' His voice was husky, and Ruth shivered in anticipation. Harry grabbed her arm, pulling her up and out of the room, upstairs. He was still holding the sellotape she noticed, as he took her into the bedroom and undressed her. 'I'm sure I left a roll of wrapping paper in the wardrobe somewhere. Oh yes. Here we are.'

She snorted as Harry produced with a flourish a roll of the tackiest paper she had ever seen. Her snort was quickly silenced as Harry used the sellotape to bind her unresisting wrists.

'Mock me at your peril' he declared, false sternness in his voice. 'Now, a good present should be all wrapped up' He began at her feet, winding the paper around her legs, and working upwards. As he reached her neck, he ran out of paper. 'Never mind', he muttered, and stepped back to admire his handiwork.

Ruth suddenly found herself without any support, and unable to move any part of her body to regain balance, toppled over onto the bed. There was a sudden noise as the paper tore around her, and she looked up at Harry with trusting eyes as she waited to see what would happen now.

'Well, I could leave you here for Christmas, but Adam might get a little concerned for your welfare if you weren't at the Christmas party tonight.' He appeared to muse on the question for a while, and then came to a conclusion. 'Looks like I'll have to treat myself to an early present.'

Slowly, releasing one part of her body at a time, Harry began to peel away the paper. First to be released were her feet, followed by her shoulders. Everywhere he touched her body, Ruth felt his touch with every part of her skin. He left a tingling sensation behind him, and as he slowly worked his way to releasing her more private areas, she writhed under him with anticipation. She could see him getting more aroused as the torturous process went on, until finally only her wrists were still bound with sellotape. Gently, he pushed them up and over her head, out of the way.

Harry leant in to kiss her, but Ruth turned away. Seeing the question in his eyes, she responded, 'You have me at some disadvantage' A smile quirked his lips, and he removed his clothes, leaving them in a heap on the floor. He lay down next to her, and passionately pulled her towards him for the kiss he had been anticipating all day.

'You, Ruth, are the best Christmas present any man could wish for.'

'That is so clichéd'

'The best truths so often are' He replied, reaching up and untying her wrists.

'Stopping so soon?' she questioned, only half playful. Harry never left something started unfinished, and that included seduction and sex.

'We might' He paused, kissing her neck. 'Be able to get away with joint presents' Another kiss, this time on her lips. 'But if we turn up for this goddamn Christmas party late, together, and all messed up, then I think someone might notice. So,' He pulled her up, kissing her forehead one last time 'we have to get ready now.' She sighed. Usually, she would enjoy the chance to socialise with colleagues away from the pressures of work, but today she wanted to be alone with Harry.

'Still, there's nothing stopping us from carrying on when we get home, is there?'


End file.
